Pakistan beat India in Twenty20 match – nations’ first fixture in five years

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has called his side’s thrilling Twenty20 victory over India – the first international match between the two nations for five years – ‘a gift for the whole nation’.

Shoaib Malik battered a better-than-a-run-a-ball 57 – including the match-winning six – to help Pakistan beat their bitter rivals by five wickets.

And afterwards, Hafeez said: ‘It is a gift for the whole nation, it is Quaid day [the birthday of Pakistan’s founder Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah] back home.

‘It is a great effort, we wanted to do well at the start of the series.’

A thrilling match saw Pakistan slump to 12-3, chasing India’s below-par 133-9, before Malik showed composure and brilliant shot-making in equal measure to see his side home.

Needing 10 off the final over to claim victory, a huge six from Pakistan’s number five earned the win with two balls to spare.

Indian openers Gautam Gambhir (43) and Ajinkya Rahane (42) had set the tone for what could have been a devastating total with a 77 partnership – but Pakistan bowled well thereafter, with three wickets for Umar Gul helping to keep India in check.

In Pakistan’s innings, captain Hafeez (61 off 44 balls) had put his side in control with a century stand opposite Malik to get within touching distance of their target – having been ripped apart initially by three wickets from seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

The skipper’s wicket, caught by Pragyan Ojha off the bowling of Ishant Sharma, left the tourists on 118-4 but still very much in control with only a run a ball needed.

However, some restrictive bowling from India pegged them back before Malik took matters into his own hands at the death.